7 minute read
South Africa
MEXICAN THE SPIRIT
There is a common misconception that tequila should be accompanied with a wedge of lime and salt shaker, coupled with a bachelorette party that’s followed by a morning you’d rather forget. Even though tequila is still associated with good times (or bad for some), it’s evolving and quickly becoming a go-to spirit for many, and not for the reasons you might think. We are now starting to appreciate the spirit, the production process and the history linked to the liquid and understand the flavours each style of tequila has to offer.
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WORDS BEN DAVIDSON & PHIL BAYLY
Here we delve a little deeper into the different types of tequila, so the next time that you’re at a bar you’ll know exactly what to order.
REGULAR TEQUILA
Pure and simple, this is the stuff that most people would have grown up knowing to be tequila. Although still the dominating style with regards to sales, ‘regular’ tequilas are today being challenged by ‘100 per cent agave’ tequilas, which is where the majority of the growth in the category is coming from. Regular tequila needs to be made from at least 51 per cent blue agave sugars, with the remainder traditionally being made up from non-agave sugars (such as corn, cane, or molasses). These sugars are mixed together prior to fermentation. Regular tequila may be shipped in bulk and bottled outside of Mexico.
100 PER CENT AGAVE TEQUILA
Unbeknownst to most, all tequila used to be 100 per cent blue agave tequila. When the official standard was established in 1949 it called for 100 per cent of the alcohol coming from blue agave sugars. Over the next two decades, this would change to the current requirement of 51 per cent. For true tequila connoisseurs, however, 100 per cent blue agave is where it’s at. If a tequila is labelled ‘100 per cent agave’ or ‘100 per cent agave azul’, this serves as a guarantee that the spirit is made entirely from blue agave and that it has been bottled in Mexico. Some excellent examples of the 100 per cent agave tequila that consumers will find in bars across the Asia-Pacific region are Patron, Don Julio, Tequila Ocho, Fortaleeza and Olmeca Altos.
CLASSES OF TEQUILA
BLANCO: Blanco tequila is normally an un-aged white tequila that is more or less straight off the still; although some producers do age their blanco tequila for a few weeks. The maximum age for blanco tequila is 60 days.
JOVEN OR ORO: Often known as gold tequila (unaged regular tequila), which has been adulterated with colouring and flavours including caramel, glycerine or wood chips to give it colour and flavour. Blanco may be blended with aged tequila to create 100 per cent agave joven or oro tequila. REPOSADO: Reposado means rested and refers to tequilas that are aged from two months up to a year in oak casks or barrels with no size limit. Reposado was the first style of aged tequila and is today the most popular style in Mexico. A reposado tequila served with sangrita on the side is the authentic way to enjoy quality reposado tequila. A Sangrita (little blood) is similar to a bloody mary mix.
AÑEJO: While reposado tequila can be stored in casks as large as 20,000 litres, añejo tequila can be stored in barrels of no more than 600 litres, although the majority would be stored in ex-bourbon barrels of around 200 litres. Añejo tequila must be aged for a minimum of 12 months. Añejo tequila is best enjoyed neat as you would a Cognac, or served over ice.
EXTRA AÑEJO: This is a relatively recent addition to the Norma and was introduced in 2006. The requirements with regards to barrel size remain as per añejo, however, to earn the extra añejo classification the tequila must be aged for at least three years. These are highly expensive tequilas with limited availability and should be savoured as you would other fine and expensive spirits such as Cognac or Armagnac.
WHAT IS NORMA? To ensure that tequila is genuine it has to be produced according to strict Mexican government regulations. On the label is must bear the official standard, NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana) and the Tequila Regulatory Council's monogram (CRT) on the label.
Agave fields
If you enjoy a good weekend in the Hunter Valley, Barossa or Margaret River, consider taking it to another level. Don’t rule out South Africa – it’s more affordable than you may think and their wine tourism offering is nothing short of exceptional. Biltong, braais, game drives, springbok and great customer service are all things you can look forward to in South Africa. Combine a trip with your real passion (wine) and you can expect to discover a world of grand estates, wonderfully friendly people and a wine history, while significantly older, not too dissimilar to our own.
WORDS ASHLEY PINI
BEST TIME TO VISIT
This is a year-round attraction. Summer is hot and the vines are in full bloom. Winter has fewer crowds, but overall we didn’t find that the queues were long or a problem in summer anyway.
HOW TO GET AROUND
Distances mean you need a car or a transfer service, easily organised through local tourism providers.
WHAT WILL IT COST
This is the best part. Our dollar is strong against the RAND (at the time of printing at least) and you’ll find good value everywhere. You can buy quality wine in a restaurant for between 200 and 300 RAND ($20-$30 AUD). When in the wineries, quite often there is a charge for a basic tasting, plus the opportunity to do a more structured educational tasting with a winemaker or tutor. Visit individual winery sites and book in.
The first thing that will strike you as you make your way out of Cape Town and into the wine regions, which start about 40 minutes out of the town, is the striking beauty of the Western Cape, and that feeling is unlikely to leave you.
South Africa boasts 18 official wine routes, nearly all of which are to be found in the country’s wine capital – the Western Cape. The bloodlines of the South African winemaking industry reflect the development of the country’s own maturation into a global player in the wine industry, with their own unique flavour profiles, grape varieties and traditional winemaking methods that reflect the rugged and amazingly beautiful environment that is the Cape.
The flight across the Indian Ocean - around 11 hours from Perth - gives you ample time to research South African wines, and it’s worth starting at the beginning when Jan van Riebeeck, the first governor of the Cape, planted vines in 1655. South Africa, of course, was settled extensively by the Dutch, but it was a melting pot of nationalities that came together to develop the early industry. The early settlers set up grand homes and sprawling estates set against dramatic backdrops; a visit to the four regions mentioned below is akin to mixing the old world grand houses of France with the newworld winemaking of countries such as our own. The best of both worlds you could say.
While the industry is older in South Africa (than Australia’s), the impact of sanctions applied in 1986 slowed down the development of the wine industry at a crucial time, the effects of which are still felt today. There are wine routes to suit the serious wine buff where you’ll delve into the terroir of each region, or equally enjoyable is the chance to visit a couple of estates, try the regional hero, buy more than you meant to, and then head to a long lunch. And long lunches is what the South Africans do so well.
The Cape boasts plenty of sunshine, warm afternoons and seriously good value food. It’s about as ‘meaty’ as a Brazilian BBQ with a bunch of offerings you’ve probably never heard of, but have no fear - if meat is not your thing there’s plenty of quality seafood on offer and cuisine such as ‘Cape Malay’, a fusion of Malaysian and African cuisine specific to this region.
The most popular wine routes are those in Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, and Paarl, with the emerging area of Durbanville one to look out – it’s just 30 minutes out of Cape Town and boasts cracking views. Durbanville Hills Winery is a must visit for one of those long lunches.
